Mower with yieldingly retractable knives



Nov. M, 1950 R. R. cAUBLE 2,529,797

MOWERWITH YIELDINGLY RETRACTABLE KNIVES Filed June 7, 1946 INVENTOR) P4 YMoND CA uLEJ Patented Nov.. i4, 1950 MOWER WITH YIELDINGLY RETRACTABLE KNIVES Raymond R. Cauble, Indianapolis, Ind.

Application June 7, 1946, Serial No. 675.059

2 Claims.

This invention relates to cutting means particularly adapted to be used in cutting grass, trash, and the like, thereby lending itself particularly for use in farm operations. In many instances, when weeds or grass are to be cut, there may be obstructions concealed within the grass, such as rocks, stumps, or other rigid articles. The invention primarily has to do with the provision of allowing the cutting elements to swing back out of the normal cutting path when such obstacles are encountered.

The primary object of the invention is to provide means above indicated wherein separate cutting elements may be shiftably mounted to be extended normally by centrifugal force to permit yielding retractment should any one or all of the cutting elements strike an object, whereby undue damage is avoided not only of the cutting elements, but also of the carrier upon which the cutting elements may be mounted. Furthermore, the driving mechanism is also protected from harm through use of the invention. These and many other objects and advantages of the invention, including the unusual simplicity and unique combinations of the various elements as set forth in the appended claims, will become apparent to those versed in the art in the following description of the invention, in which Fig. l is a view in top plan of a structure embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view on the line in Fig. 1.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views in the drawing.

In the present form of the invention, I employ a circular disk I8, preferably having a hub II so that the disk ID may be rotated about its center axis such as by means of a shaft I2 engaging the hub EI. At spaced intervals around the disk I is mounted a plurality of cutting sections I3, herein shown as four in number. In the present showing, these sections have essentially the same contour as that of customarily employed sections on a reciprocating sickle in farm mowers. That is, each section I3 is provided with a beveled edge portion I4 on one side, and a beveled portion I5 on the other side, both edges tending to converge toward a center point in the outer end of the section.

The disk I0, Fig. 3, is provided with a hole I6 therethrough adjacent the peripheral edge for each of the sections I3 provided. Through this hole II is passed a bolt II to have a bearing sleeve I8 therearound which has, by its outer surface, a running t through a hole I9 provided to one side of the section I3 near its base edge 20. A washer 2I is placed over the end of the sleeve I8 and then a nut 22 screwthreadedly engages the bolt I'I to hold the sleeve I8 in fixed, compressive engagement by its end against the face of the disk II). There is suicient clearance between the under side of the washer 2I and the top face of the disk I0 to permit free rotation of the section I3 about the sleeve I8.

As indicated, the bolt I'I passes through the section I3 in each instance, not only adjacent the base edge 20, but also adjacent one side of the section. By reason of this particular type of mounting, the center of mass of the section I3, upon rotation of the disk I0, would tend to cause the section I3 to travel outwardly to have the corner 22a, in the present proportions indicated in Fig. 1, travel outwardly past the edge of the disk I 0. To control the degree of rotation of the section I3 about the sleeve I8, there is provided an arcuate slot 23 adjacent each disk hole I 6, the two sides of the slot 23 having their radii centered on the axis of the bolt I'I.

Each section I3, Fig. 4, is provided with a boss 24 of a diameter to have a sliding t between two sides of the slot 23 and extend from the under side of the section I3 a distance to have its lower face terminate in the plane of the under surface of the disk I0. The section I3 preferably is built up on the upper side by a boss 25 so as to provide v ample length to receive the cap screw 26 screwthreadedly therein. This cap screw 26 carries a lock washer 2'I bearing against a plain washer 28 that has sufficient diameter to extend across the slot 23 to bear on both sides thereof. The cap screw 26 continues on to screwthreadedly engage through the boss 24 and preferably on through the boss 25. The lock washer 2'I, when drawn against the plain washer 28, tends to hold the washer. 28 in yielding frictional engagement against the under face of the disk I Il on each side of the slot 23. However, this pressure so exerted is made to be such that when the disk I0 is brought up to its normal operating speed, the section I3 in each instance will assume the individual positions as indicated in Fig. 1 wherein the boss 24 is at the outer end of the slot 23.

In operation, when the disk III is rotating rapidly, the leading edges of the sections I3, in the present instance, the edges I4, will cut through the grass and weeds, and the like, as the disk I0 may be advanced. Should, however, a section I3 strike a stump, for example, the disk I may continue to rotate but the section I3 striking that obstruction will be pulled back to turn about the bolt I'I and allow the boss 2l to travel around in the slot 23 until the edge I4 is completely within the contines of the peripheral edge of the disk I0, as indicated by the vdash lines in Fig. 1. Of course, the degree of retraction of the section I3 will depend upon how much the disk I0 is advanced toward that obstruction. Then, upon pulling the disk back away from the obstruction, the section I3 or all of the sections I3, as may be the case, which have been shifted back over the face of the disk I0, will again return to their normal cutting positions under the centrifugal action set up by the speed of the disk I0.

The sections I3 may be mounted on either the top face or the under face of the disk I0 simply by detaching the bolt I1, removing the section I3 in each instance, and then applying it up against the under face of the disk I0 to have the boss 24 enter the slot 23 again and the bolt I1 enter through the disk hole IB/or in the same manner as above indicated. This will permit use of the other cutting edge I without changing the direction of rotation of the disk I0.

While I have herein shown and described my invention in one particular form, it is obvious that structural changes may be Aemployed without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I therefore do not desire to be limited to the precise form beyond the limitations as may be imposed by the following claims.

I claim:

l. In a rotary cutter, a rotatable disk; a cutter section; means for pivotally attaching the section to said disk whereby a' portion of the section may extend beyond the periphery of said disk; said attaching means engaging said section to one side of the central axis of the section, the center of mass being on said axis; whereby the weight distribution of the section thereabout is such as to cause the section to swing on said pivot means under centrifugal action induced by rotation of said disk to provide such extension beyond the disk; said attaching means being xed in location in respect to both said disk and said section; and stop means limiting said swinging; said stop means comprising a pair of spaced apart abutments on said disk, and an abutment on said section between said pivot means and said cutting edge to swing between said disk abutments in an arc. the center of the radius of curvature of which is at said attaching means.

2. In a rotary cutter. a rotatable disk; a cutter section; means for pivotally attaching the section to said disk whereby a portion of the section may extend` beyond the periphery of said disk; said attaching means engaging said section to one side of the central axis of the section, the center of mass being on said axis; whereby the weight distribution of the section thereabout is such as to cause the section to swing on said pivot means under centrifugal action induced by rotation of said disk to provide such extension beyond the disk; said attaching means being fixed in location in respect to both said disk and said section; and stop means limiting said swinging; said stop means comprising a pair of spaced apart abi' nents on said disk, and an abutment on sai`- section between said pivot means and said cutting edge to swing between said disk abutments in an arc, the center of the radius of curvature of which is at said attaching means; said disk abutments consisting of ends of a slot; and bolt means compressively interengaging said disk and said section yieldingly frictionally swinging resisting swinging of said section.

RAYMOND R. CAUBLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle of this patent:

Jennett Apr. 26, 1938 

